A file picture taken on March 27, 2014, shows a person using a laptop computer showing Youtube's logo in Istanbul. / Ozan Kose, AFP/Getty Images

by Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

by Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

Turkey's highest court ruled Thursday that an ongoing block to YouTube's services in the country is a violation of rights - in particular a breach of the freedom of expression.

The judgment by the Constitutional Court, which was reported by Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, may pave the way for access to the video-sharing website, under an "administrative" block since late March, to be restored.

However, it was not clear if and when that may happen.

The restrictions on YouTube were imposed after the leak of an audio recording of a government security meeting. In the recording, senior officials appeared to be discussing a possible military intervention in Syria.

In another case, after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to "rip out the roots" of Twitter, authorities there blocked access to the micro-blogging site.

The Constitutional Court subsequently ordered Turkish authorities to end that ban, which the government has so far complied with.

The Turkish government has at times accused various social media platforms of circulating false information.